The () mutant was isolated as a mutant that showed abnormal morphology and function in the nervous system. The defect induces neural degeneration similar to human lysosomal storage diseases. Various studies have shown that Spin proteins are localized in lysosomes and participate in the late stages of the autophagic process. Vertebrates have three orthologs, , and . A defect in caused a short lifespan with aberrant lysosomal function in zebrafish. was originally isolated as the gene responsible for abnormal heart development and was identified as a sphingosine 1-phosphate transporter in zebrafish. An endothelial cell-specific defect in resulted in impaired egress of lymphocytes and the prevention of tumor metastasis in mice. Herein, I reviewed the history of research and discussed the conserved and newly diverged function and possible implications for human diseases.